The couple will not be bound together physically until the actual marriage. This was the case with Mary the mother of Yeshua (Jesus) and Joseph when she became impregnated by the Holy Spirit. She was bound to Joseph in the first step of the marriage process. They had not yet been bound physically however. This is way Joseph planned on putting her away secretly. He was planning on divorcing her until God intervened.
This explains why Jacob did not know that he had consummated a marriage with Leah instead of Rachel. It was not until morning and when the veil had been removed that he knew that he had been deceived.
Gen. 29:25 Now it came to pass in the evening that he took Leah his daughter and brought her to Jacob; and he went in to her. And Laban gave his maid Zilpah to his daughter Leah as a maid. So it came to pass in the morning, that behold, it was Leah. And he said to Laban, "What is this you have done to me? Was it not for Rachel that I served you? Why then have you deceived me?
This paints a picture of true believers that are bound to Yeshua (Jesus) their bridegroom when they accept the first part of the legal marriage contract. We enter the first part of this marriage contract by accepting Yeshua (Jesus) our Messiah into our hearts and into our lives as Savior, Lord and King. We are betrothed as we wait for His return. We do this in faith, until we see Him face to face and He receives us as His Bride. While she waits she is veiled, she is hidden in Messiah and that all other gods are forbidden. She will not be identified as His bride until He raptures her. And she will not be identified to the world until Messiah returns to earth with her.
5 The Thief in the Night, Zola Levitt
In His Service,
Rev. Marjorie
marjorie@sweetmanna.org
If you have any questions, please feel free to email us.
Once the bride was spoken for, it was the custom for the bride to veil herself whenever she was out in public. She hides herself behind a veil so as not to be identified and it sends a message that she is taken and that all other men are forbidden. She keeps herself veiled until the marriage is consummated. 5
Betrothal is the first of two steps in the marriage process. Betrothal is what we call today being engaged, except that it was a legal binding contract. Unlike engagements today, one could not just “break up”. In order to get out of the contract one had to get a legal divorce, which was called a “get”. The bride and groom are legally bound together by a legal marriage contract.
This betrothal period generally lasts a least for one year. However in the case of children that have been betrothed by their parents, it can last for several years.
